# Chipped Beef (a.k.a. SOS)



## Demented (Nov 7, 2006)

When there wasn’t enough left of a roast for another meal, my mother would chop up what was left of the meat, mix it into the leftover gravy, warm it and serve it on toast.

I’m sure that’s how this dish got its nickname… SOS.

I make it a little different.

I made a rump roast the other night. After slicing the leftovers for roast beef sandwiches, hot with gravy and cold, I chopped the rest for chipped beef.

½ lb. Finely chopped roast beef
1 T. Olive oil
1 T. Butter
2 T. Flour
Salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste
½ C. Half & Half
1 C. water
2 Slices bread

In a saucepan over medium flame, heat the butter and oil together, when hot add the beef.

Cook the beef until it is medium brown then season and taste, sprinkle flour over meat and mix, be sure to deglaze the pan, don’t want to leave any flavor behind.

Add about half the cream and stir well to incorporate before adding the rest and the water, stir to mix and heat over a low flame until reduced enough to coat a spoon.

Toast and plate the bread, ladle creamed beef over it and serve with mashed potatoes.


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## M1903A1 (Jun 7, 2006)

I actually used to enjoy SoS, back when Stouffers made it frozen.


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## hollywood (Feb 15, 2005)

SOS was a staple when in the ARMY. I think they made it with ground chuck sometimes!? I still crave the stuff from time to time. Glad you put up your recipe. Might have to give it a whirl.


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## macjoe53 (Jul 8, 2007)

I remember it being made with ground beef back in my shipboard days. Didn't eat it over toast but it sure made the reconstituted powdered eggs taste almost edible. It was also good over biscuits.


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## taltos (Feb 28, 2006)

Saw enough of that stuff in the Marines. If I want something of the same consistency, love sausage gravy on biscuits. Need to find a recipe for that simple enough for a dumb northerner to cook.


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## muziq (Mar 14, 2005)

Aaaah, SoS--it's GREAT hangover food. It's hot, takes well to lots of pepper and salt, and has this amazing ability to soak up excess alcohol the morning after :r Thanks for this recipe!


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## adsantos13 (Oct 10, 2006)

As always, awesome recipe Demented.


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## Demented (Nov 7, 2006)

When it comes to SOS… 

I'm not sure which was worse, my mom's or what they served on the mess deck.

I don’t believe using ground beef in this recipe would help it.

If you wanted to use ground beef… 

I’d suggest going to the butcher in the market and have him/her coarsely double grind the fattest chuck roast they have, don’t worry about the fat, it will render out when cooking.

Drain fat off the meat, retaining 3 T. for the sauce, be sure to use 1 T. of flour for every T. of fat, follow the recipe to make it.

I figured this would be familiar to anyone who had been in the service.

Taltos, I'll post my biscuit and gravy recipe. My stepson was able to make it by himself when he was 10.


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## El Gato (Apr 2, 2003)

Ya gotta use dried salted beef. The salt cures it so there is no need for refridgeration. That's what made it so popular in the army. It was easily transportable and prepared. Stouffer's is really good stuff, salty as could be and loaded with fat. If you don't make your own this will give you a good idea of what our granddads ate during the great war. True SOS. (The "shingle" being the compartmented tray they ate meals on instead of real china.)
If you haven't had it, try it. It's wicked good with a cold beer.


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## FN in MT (Jan 22, 2008)

Way back when I was a kid my Mom went to stay with her sister who was very ill for several weeks. After school, I was home with my former Marine Dad who was now the chief Cook. 
Real SOS with chipped beef , over toast, was one of his staple meals!! He called it "shit on a shingle" and THAT alone made it cool. Me and Dad...swearing together!! 

I can recall getting it years later in the Air Force and I was one of the few guys who knew what it was.

Haven't thought about SOS for YEARS!! 

FN in MT


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